Improvement in portable key-hole guards



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Leners-Patent Nq. 87,645, aaa/1 Mwah 9, 1869.

IMPRVEMENT IN PORTABLE KEY-HOLE GUARDS.

"The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Be it known that I,'WILL1AM E. DANTE, of Washington, in the county of Vashington, and District of Columbia, have inventedva Portable Lock-Guard; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of -this specification, in whichjaws b b, and arms or levers D D, at the same time.

Figures 3, 4, and 5, are different views of the lockguard. f

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of this invention is to furnish a portable pocket safety-guard, which is adapted for being` in-V serted into key-holes of various sizes, and secured fast therein, and which, when it is thus applied, will effect ually prevent the insertion of a key or skeleton into the lock, thereby enabling a person, after locking a door from the inside, and removing the key, to secure the lock against any successful attempt to pick it.l

The nature of my invention consists, in combination with a pair of flattened jaws, which are pivoted together, and provided with lever-extensions, anadjusting-screw, or its equivalent, which is adapted for forcibly expanding said jaws, and holding them in an expanded condition, so that when they are inserted into the key-hole of a lock, and expanded, they will prevent the insertion of a key into the lock, as will be hereinafter explained.

-The following description will enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention.4

My invention is applicable to any of the well-known or improvedlocks, A, having a key-hole made through i it, and through the door B, to which it is applied.

In figs. 1 and 2, I have represented acommon form of door-lock, having an improved guard confined in the key-hole thereof, so as to prevent the insertion into the lock, of a key or other instrument.

It will be seen, by reference to iig. 2, that an instrument, somewhat like av pair of shears, is inserted into the key-hole of the lock A, and secured therein by spreading the jaws b b, so that the distance between the outer edges of their free ends is greater than the length of the key-hole. These jaws cannot be withdrawn or pushed out of the key-hole, until they are closed or partially closed, nor can the instrument be drawn through the lock from the outside of the door.

My improved lock-guard consists of two jaws, b b,

which are pivoted together at c, and constructed with lever-extensions D D, through one of which is tapped a thumb-screw, E, adapted .for distending both the The jaws b b are made as thin as possible without having them too frail, so that they will enter key-holes as narrow as they are ever made; and these jaws are strengthened by making them quite wide, but not too wide, to enter key-holes as short as they are ever made for door-locks.

The jaws are halved together, and` their .lever-extensions D D are tapered, so that when shut, as shown in iig. 4, they will iit closely together', and make a compact but strong instrument, which may be conveniently carried in the pocket.

For the purpose of causing the jaws b b to take a firm hold when extended in a key-hole, their outer griping-edges are made straight, or, if desirable, they may be curved outwardly, which latter form would afford a better hold, but would increase the width of the jaws at their free ends.

The drawings represent a screw, E, applied to one of the arms or levers D, and tapped through it so as to bear upon the inner side of the opposite arm during the act of spreading the jaws; but in practice, a tongue or pawl may be pivoted to one arm, D, so as to catch into teeth made on the opposite arm D, and hold the jaws and arms more or less open, as may be required for key-holes of different length, and allow the jaws and arms to be shut, as shown in iig. 4.

'Io use the instrument, after a door is locked from the inside and the key' is removed, the jaws b b are inserted into the key-l1ole,`and when properly adj usted therein, they are distended by turning the screw E,

until the outer edges of their free 'ends are a greaterdistance apart than the length of the key-hole, as shown in fig. 2, thus preventing the instrument from being forced back through the key-hole by a key or other device inserted from the outside of the door. And as the arms D D are spread apart in the act of spreading the jaws b b, it is obvious that the instrument cannot be drawn through a key-hole from the outside of the door.

Having described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure. by Letters Patent, is

The portable key-hole guard, consisting of arms D D, and jaws b b, pivoted together at a, and .screw E, or its equivalent, all substantially as herein described.

Witness my hand, in the matter of my application for Letters Patent for a portable lock-guard.

W. E. DANTE. 

